The Police: "There's ZERO Tolerance" (woohoo)

General Forums Prince Rupert Forum
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I don’t know if many of your cruise passed Tim Horton’s on Second Avenue during the late evenings or not, but I do and have witnessed dozens of ‘kids’ gathering around.  To me, it seems like a hangout for most of them who have nothing to do.  I don’t think I have to express the problems that accompany (edit to include “these particular types of”) large gatherings, but lately it has proven to be extremely critical.

That said, I was down around Tim Hortons around 11:00pm last night and witnessed one of the kids in the usual ‘gathering’, holler something at an RCMP member as the member was driving by eastbound.  Then, as quick as a flash, the member did a 180 and pulled up infront of Tim Hortons, got out of his car and yelled at one of the many kids, “come HERE”.  He repeated it a couple of times, then went into the crowd and escorted the kid to the back of the police car.  The kid was intoxicated, and wasn’t alone.  My fear was that that after the member got the kid to the ground and proceeded to arrest him, that the gathering of kids were going to jump him.  The member radio’d for backup, and within seconds, there were four additional police vehicles there.  The kid continued to resist being arrested, until two of his fellow members helped out.  During that time, the arresting officer looked up to another kid who was standing there cheering on his friend and said, “…and YOU, I told you to go home an HOUR ago!”  The members eventually got the downed drunk into the back of the police cruiser, all the while the drunk kid was mouthing off.

After the door to the police cruiser was shut, that young officer approached the large group and ‘very diplomatically’ said, “We have had it.  There is going to be ZERO tollerance around here from now one.  If you are out and are drunk, you’re going to jail.  I’m sure all of you know about the stabbing that just happened, right?  Well, we’re not putting up with it any more.  If we see you out and drunk, you’re going to jail.  Now GO HOME.”  (I’m pretty good at quoting what someone has said, and the above is the best to my recollection).

I was pleased to hear the member stated that there is going to be ZERO tollerance from now on.  I tip my hat in hopes that this new approach saves some glass windows and lives in our already hectic city.

PS:  Within an hour of the above incident, the entire 2nd avenue looked like a ghost town.  I sort of had to chuckle to myself when the lone person was a guy standing outside that zorba’s pizza pickup up place facing the street.  If I were to pick him a think bubble, it would say… “Where IS everyone?”

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This story turned out very well, but I had my doubts.

While reading the first paragraph I started thinking about how it would read if you just changed a couple of words…

Anyways… thanks for posting this. Hopefully the police will maintain a bit of a crackdown in the down town, although don’t think for a second these kids actually went home. I’m reasonably sure they just went somewhere else.

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about 70% of those people are 19 or older. They all hang out with younger crowds. I highly doubt they went home. They most likely went to a party. I think its funny when cops act real tough when there not. Its the gun what keeps them going.  Not ALL the cops either , i know a few good cops. But its pretty pathetic when i was trying to talk with one cop and he had his panties in a bundle.

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I’m with you on every other point except that one.

Maybe you should have said large gatherings of drunks.

Public gatherings are a pretty important part of democracy, not to mention society in general.

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Agreed.  I was referring to the particular group in question and not as public gatherings in general.  I have edited my paragraph in that post to reflect this so as to save confusion on which “gathering” I refer.

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so uhh what did this kid say that warranted him being arrested? Are we not allowed to insult the delicate sensibilities of our tazer happy overlords?

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Its irrelevant what the drunk said, the fact was that he was drunk in public and the cop said there is ZERO tolerance for it.  You can say anything you want to whomever you want, but if you’re in public and you’re drunk, you’re going to jail… according to the member’s new stance to get a handle on the drunk punks who run your town.

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I’m sure its irrelevant and the cop knew he was drunk just by driving by right  :unamused:

Anyway expect more drunk drivers if you arent even safe from arrest when you’re walking home. Sounds like a bone headed plan to me.

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Quietly stumbling your way home from a night of drinking is a whole lot different from standing on the sidewalk yelling at cops as they drive by.  Drunk in public is usually given a little bit of leeway if you are not being disorderly and simply walking home.  Being an asshole on the street while drunk is (in my opinion) more than enough reason to haul a lippy kid to the slammer.

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Right on.

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what the crap, if they are 19 and over then they should be inside the bars drinking! :smiley:

it must have been <19 year olds then

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I don’t disagree but zero tolerance means not giving anyone leeway. I suppose now they’re at least using their time wisely instead of setting up toll booths.

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First of all going to a party is a hell of a lot better then hanging around the goddamn street all night which pisses me off cause they always walk infront of you right as you drive by yelling and sometimes throwing shit ( I have had a few glass bottles come flying towards my vehicle while drving past Timmy’s at night).
Secondly police act tough because they HAVE to be. How would you feel walking into a crowd out numbered? Its the gun that keeps them going? AHAHA when have you ever seen them pull out their gun to someones head? I sure in the hell haven’t and I have been around cops all my life. If cops don’t act tough then they will get walked all over and nobody would give a crap when they come rolling up. We need cops as bad as we need good doctors.

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I don’t like cops all that much, based on years of personal experience and various media accounts. However, I dislike more the young drunken hooligans hanging out of public streets harrassing and intimidating people. In this particular instance I’m cheering for the cops.

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Pfff–take a cab. What a crappy excuse for a bunch of young people breaking the law. Do you really think that the crowd of drunks that loiters outside Tim Horton’s are there bcause they all decided to be responsible and keep their keys in their pocket? Come on…

As Kaleid said, I highly doubt that the Prince Rupert RCMP are using this “zero tolerance” policy against people who do demonstrate some measure of responsible conduct. I’d be extremely surprised if every one of the people in the crowd on the night of this incident aren’t known by the local officers as being trouble makers.

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I’m sure the RCMP–one of the most respected police forces in the world–is happy to have your support.

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I like the comment about police being tought with guns.  I guess you could apply that back to anything.  For example: the group of kids on the corner yelling at the police are all tought when they have their buddies with them.

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Just curious as to how someone with a nic like cst. ferman would just sit and listen as a cop was out numbered.

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Mmmhmmm tasers.  /drool.

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I’m not going down without a fight.